A seemingly affectionate gesture from U.S. President Donald Trump toward Elon Musk at a high-profile White House dinner has set social media abuzz with talk of a renewed bromance between the two powerhouses. The event, held on November 18, 2025, in the East Room to honor Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, drew an array of global elites, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, golfer Bryson DeChambeau, and soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo of Al-Nassr.
Video footage, first shared widely on X by accounts like @vioryvideo captures Trump approaching Musk's table and delivering a light pat to his midsection—described variably as a stomach tap or chest touch—accompanied by smiles and laughter from those nearby. The clip has racked up millions of views, with users hailing it as evidence that their frosty feud is thawing, dubbing the moment everything from a "lovely gesture" to the ultimate "we’re good" signal.
The playful interaction unfolds amid a turbulent history for Trump and Musk, who forged a close alliance during the president's post-election transition in late 2024, with Musk spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to target federal waste. Tensions erupted in May 2025 when Musk resigned abruptly, blasting Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill as "fiscally irresponsible" on X and floating the idea of a new centrist "America Party." Trump fired back by threatening to yank subsidies from Tesla and SpaceX, a spat analysts tied to the electric vehicle maker's slumping sales amid Musk's controversial forays into far-right rhetoric.
Their prior public sighting—a mere handshake at conservative activist Charlie Kirk's September 2025 memorial—offered little hint of warmth, making Tuesday's encounter Musk's first White House return in months and fueling speculation of behind-the-scenes mending.
In his dinner remarks, Trump touted Saudi Arabia's $1 trillion U.S. investment pledge and upgraded the kingdom to major non-NATO ally status, emphasizing joint ventures in energy, defense, and AI—sectors where Musk's xAI and SpaceX hold stakes. The gathering aligns with Trump's "America First" push to lure Gulf capital, though it drew criticism from Democrats like Sen.
Patty Murray for whitewashing bin Salman's human rights record, including the 2018 Khashoggi killing. Musk's attendance, despite past gripes over Saudi pullouts from his ventures, underscores pragmatic business ties, with Riyadh's Public Investment Fund backing X and xAI. Neither man has addressed the viral video, but X reactions—from memes of a "bromance revival" to quips about subsidy checks—highlight its role in shaping public narratives.
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This fleeting touch exemplifies how Trump's second term blends spectacle with strategy, where personal rapport can signal policy alignments amid economic headwinds and tech regulations looming over Musk's empire. Observers note the duo's synergy could boost innovation initiatives, yet caution that fiscal rifts and Musk's independent streak may resurface. For now, the clip encapsulates an era where a pat can pivot perceptions, reminding watchers that in politics and business, alliances often hinge on such unscripted optics.
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